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Posted on 08/10/2005 7:28:48 PM PDT by Paleo Conservative
The Boeing Co.'s new 777-200LR, billed as the world's longest-range jetliner, returned to Seattle Sunday after a round-the-world trip that included 24 cities as part of a promotional tour following the Paris Air Show in June.
Now comes the big event that many aviation fans are waiting for -- the longest non-stop jetliner flight ever attempted without air refueling.
As this column first reported last year, Boeing will take advantage of the 777-200LR's range to shatter the distance record established in 1997 by its sibling, the 777-200ER.
The 777-200LR, which is still in flight tests, will attempt to fly non-stop for more than 24 hours. Details are now starting to emerge about the route for the record-setting flight, which is being planned for early October.
Loaded with fuel, including three auxiliary fuel tanks in the plane's belly, the 777-200LR will take off from a city in Asia that Boeing has not yet named, and land some 24 hours later in London.
The flight path would take the jet and its crew over the Pacific, North America and finally the Atlantic. Boeing says a two-hour fuel reserve is needed upon arrival in England or the 777-200LR could stay up even longer.
Boeing has two 777-200LRs in flight testing as part of the certification process that is needed before the first plane can be delivered to Pakistan International Airlines in early 2006.
The same plane that was taken to the Paris Air Show and then on the 17-country world tour will make the record non-stop flight. It is not the typical test plane filled with instruments and water barrels to simulate passenger and cargo payload.
Boeing configured the 777-200LR cabin with several new interior concepts in first, business and coach to show potential customers at the air show as well as during the 61-day tour that followed.
Among the cities visited were Singapore; Islamabad, Pakistan; Beijing; Dubai, United Arab Emirates; Sydney, Australia; Hong Kong; Mumbai, India; London; Mexico City; New Delhi; Taipei, Taiwan; Doha, Qatar; and Newark, N.J.
In addition to Pakistan International Airlines, other airlines that have ordered or announced commitments for the 777-200LR include Air India, Jet Airways, EVA Air and Qatar Airways.
Airbus now has the world's longest-range jetliner actually in service with airlines. It is the A340-500. Singapore Airlines is using the Airbus jet on 18-hour non-stop flights between New York and Singapore, as well as long-haul flights between Los Angeles and Singapore.
The 300-passenger, twin-engine 777-200LR has about the same range as the four-engine A340-500, although Boeing says its plane can carry more passengers and cargo farther.
So far, none of the 777-200LR customers have asked for the optional fuel tanks, which Boeing says would increase the plane's range with a full load of passengers to about 9,420 nautical miles. With the optional tanks, the 777-200LR will hold 53,440 gallons of fuel, or 202,287 liters. That extra fuel will be needed on the upcoming record flight.
The current record, known as the Great Circle Distance Without Landing, was set in April 1997 by a 777-200ER that flew non-stop 10,823 nautical miles (20,045 kilometers, or 12,455 statute miles) from Seattle to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
That flight lasted 21 hours, 13 minutes. The plane's range, with a full load of passengers, is 7,730 nautical miles, and the 777-200ER is being used today by airlines such as Continental on some non-stop international routes that take about 15 hours.
The record was made during the plane's flight-test program, and the 777-200ER carried no passengers or cargo.
Airbus said it decided not to attempt a world record with the A340-500 during its flight testing.
While the 777-200LR will certainly set a non-stop distance record for commercial jets, large military planes have flown longer distances using midair refueling. And, before the jet age arrived in the 1950s commercial prop-engine transport planes were able to fly 24 hours or more without stopping.
In fact, Boeing's jet won't be able to come close to the record set by a Catalina flying boat operated by Qantas in World War II between Australia and London.
The longest non-stop leg of the flights was from Perth to a British flying-boat base on Koggala Lake in southern Ceylon, now known as Sri Lanka. The Catalinas were stripped of all unnecessary weight, including guns and even electric hot plates for making coffee. They could carry up to three passengers -- usually military officers traveling in secret.
Against the winds, the non-stop flights on that leg typically took about 28 hours. The longest was just over 32 hours and is considered the record for a longest non-stop commercial flight with passengers.
During the non-stop leg from Perth to Koggala Lake, passengers experienced two sunrises, and after each flight they were presented with what became a much-sought-after certificate known as the Secret Order of the Double Sunrise.
No word yet from Boeing on what the crew of the 777- 200LR will receive -- other than knowing they set a record that is likely to stand for a long time.
Neither Boeing nor Airbus has any plans to build future jets that can fly so long and far without stopping to let passengers off.
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Bump!
Then I guess al Qaeda won't have to fly out of Logan anymore.
I think Boeing is hitting another homerun with their new version of the 777.
Airbus is betting on larger planes, more centralized hubs and routes.
Boeing is betting on a diversification of routes, and a distributed, not centralized routing system. For Boeing, this means a lot of midsize planes doing short haul and long haul routes directly, rather than funneling passengers through hubs.
LMAO!
ping.
They would if they wanted a near full load of fuel to be on board when they want to attack.
You know what this means? I can now fly from Detroit to Cincinnati nonstop - the long way!!
would make one hell of a bomber
I always figured they named the company for the noise the planes make when they land.
"Boeing!"
Nope. Wing spars on a low-wing airframe are in the wrong location -- bombs have to fall through them. Thus the high-wing design of the B52. However, there were (are) designs for a 747-based cruise missile platform, which uses a rotary elevator and back-drop rails. Would much rather use an 737 based airframe instead, though -- those little pocket rockets are well stressed and way overpowered.
Looking at the picture of that airplane, it appears there's plenty of room forward and aft of the wing box for bomb/missile bays. Put fuel or avionics in the wing box. I think it would make a good bomb truck. Of course the Air Force can't afford to re-engine the B-52, so no way could they afford a militarized version of a 777.
I pick the longermore direct route, smaller plane any day. Who wants to fly on a plane with 700 other people and then change planes again to get where you are going?
I don't think, that thought has been lost passed the minds of the Pentagon.
Perhaps the airlines flying the longest routes requiring three cargo bay fuel tanks will have all premium seating.
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